Free Agency/trade overview:
Now that we have arrived at the end of the season, we’re looking ahead to the free agency and trade period; Here are all your questions answered.
What are the key player movement dates?
October 30-November 6: AFL Free Agency Period
November 4-12: AFL Trade Period
November 20: List Lodgement No.1
November 27: List Lodgement No.2
November 30: AFL Draft Nominations close
w/c December 7: NAB AFL Draft and Rookie Draft (exact date to be confirmed in due course)
Mid-December: Final List Lodgment & TPP estimates
From a lacerated kidney sustained in his draft year, to his "Brady Bunch-like" family, to the perceived risk of taking a ruckman at pick No.30 in the national draft.
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) October 23, 2020
A special talent with a thirst for competition. This is TDK's story: the best is yet to come. ??
What picks do Carlton currently have?
As things currently stand, Carlton currently has picks Nos.7, 27, 45 and 81.
This could change with free agency compensation coming into play, as well as picks being traded. As has been the case for the last four seasons, future 2021 draft picks can also be traded.
What is the difference between a free agent and a trade?
Unrestricted free agents: Players who are not in the top 25 per cent of salaries at their club (that is, in the club’s top nine-10 paid players) are eligible for unrestricted free agency if they have served at least eight years with the club. Similarly, players that have been delisted are unrestricted free agents. UFAs can automatically move to the club of their choice.
Restricted free agents: Restricted free agents have the right to move to a club of their choice, subject to the current club’s right of first refusal over their services.
If the current club can ‘match’ the offer from a suitor club, the player must stay or enter the draft.
Trade: Players who are in contract or players that are uncontracted but have not been at their current club for eight years need to be exchanged by virtue of a trade. The clubs come to an agreement of players/picks to allow this to happen.
What did Carlton do in the last free agency/trade period?
This time last year, Carlton bolstered their stocks with the acquisition of Eddie Betts and Marc Pittonet in the trade period. Betts completed his homecoming for a future fourth-round draft pick, while Pittonet (and pick No.61) arrived at his new club on deadline day for picks Nos.54 and 63.
Of course, there are different means to acquire players, as the key dates at the top of this article suggest. Jack Martin made his way to Carlton via the pre-season draft, while Jack Newnes - who played every game in 2020 - arrived as a delisted free agent from St Kilda.
